dagan really knows what he's talking about - all solid gold advice! my tip: rehearsals are for practising as a band the songs that the band members have already learned individually at home

Another tip: Don't trash talk other artists. It just makes you look stupid.

OK, I have one here for you Dagan. A very important one, that will never cross your mind until you do that very first gig. I am being VERY serious here, its not a joke. Practice in the dark, put a blindfold on and practice. Because the chances are the lights will be very bright and will make it hard to see or they will be very dim and hard to see. I have been in two bands were the guitarist had a total f**k up because they had never played a gig before in poor or bright lights. Happy 2021 folks.

he’s so precious

If you have a whammy bar, bring that into account while stretching strings. When the strings stay in tune when you’ve given them a good stretch and have done some dives with your whammy bar, you should be okay.

Good suggestions ! Particularly like the "not futsing around in-between songs" & not apologizing. Somewhat similar I would add : "if you make a mistake DON'T stop! " Recently I went to see an award winning singer songwriter perform and she played a few bad chords in the intro, stopped, tried a joke about "jazz" and re-started. I cringed because no one would have noticed if she'd just kept going.

I love this guy he’s amazing, he could sell me anything

THE most important is to remember to play standing up and not spend all your time sat on your arse! 🤘

When stretching in a new set of strings, make sure you aren't putting too much stress on the nut. I cracked my Strat nut by going side-to-side. Do it in like an "S" shape - thumb one way and index finger the other -- so the stress is all on the string.

Do: Practice. Pple won't really hear what your instrument cost but how many hours you've spent practicing. Practice with closed eyes or in the dark. Learn to play rhythm section before playing lead. In the rhythm section your only job is to let the lead player sound better to the crowd. Plus you'll have the advantage of learning how to stay on tempo or adjust your tempo as needed. Don't: Don't waste the crowd's time. Arrive in time. Begin on point, as announced. I mean if you're gig is supposed to start at 8PM, you're supposed to have finished your setup before that and start your first song at 8PM. Don't think volume/loudness replaces quality. Doesn't really matter that your band is deafeningly loud if you're playing bad. Don't try to modify your setlist on the stage even if you think the crowd dislikes you. Play it through that way, have fun, there will be some who'll like it. Just remember SRV.

I can definitely relate to gear/cable thing. Not a good look having equipment fail, especially if you are being paid! Great job as always. Happy New Year everyone. Channels like this we're a beacon during 2020. Optimism is contagious. Thanks

I got one: Don't just noodle around everytime you pick up the guitar. I've been playing for 19 years and about 14 were just playing things I knew how to play from the first years when I was on my grind. Now compared to my friends who started at the same time as me but constantly improved are way better

I made the mistake of playing only while sitting down for the first year of my playing. Now finally after a year I make a conscious effort to play while standing for all of my covers I’ve been doing. I’m definitely improving at it, felt really weird at first because of my wrist angle mostly.

Playing standing up is an excellent suggestion, and something I wish I did more often. I still have trouble because most of the time I practice sitting down. However, I just started learning bass, and I think wearing the bass high is a cool look, and perfectly acceptable. But a low slung guitar looks better. My only other thoughts: Don't get addicted to effects. I can spend hours playing two notes just because my delay pedal sounds amazing. Also, especially when you are starting out, try to learn at least one new thing every day, no matter how small.

I have a couple-use lighter gauge strings, especially if you are a beginner. Makes playing much easier and enjoyable. “But Stevie Ray..” Tony Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Gibbons, BB King etc etc all use 9s or less. Always put you cable thru your strap. One day you’ll thank me. You really don’t need 100 watt amp. You’ll never turn it up beyond 4 and that’s already too loud. They are expensive, heavy and way too much power except for arenas. Many places will mic you up and ask you to turn your stage volume down anyway. Make sure you warm up a bit before you play-a little stretching and maybe some exercise to warm up the ol’ arm muscles makes a difference. Know your material. Goes without saying but... Be professional. Nuff said.

The biggest two worse ones in my opinion are (1) playing beyond your skills and (2) playing too loud. So oft these are often combined.

Dagan I'm 70 yo I remember jimi hendrix cream your tips are correct im playing much better now than when I was young

Tech moans: Try to bring a guitar cable along with your guitar. Stop chuntering on your guitar while other members are sound checking. Don't turn up drunk if you're a new non-established band. Don't bring along a new amp you just bought and have never switched on.

Embarrassed to say that myself and the band I was in were once guilty of not watching the band after us play when we'd finished our set. Our band just went downstairs/outside and drank, one of us even went straight home as soon as we were done. That was almost 11 years ago, but I've always felt a bit crappy about it. Lesson learnt.

Great to hear you mention the sound guys and gals.

Don't underestimate the bass player.

4:50 is the best tip IMO (don't f around making noise). Adding to this: make sure everyone is in tune using a tuner (don't tune by ear!) and for goodness sake never tune by ear at full volume!!

You are the only other person besides myself I've ever seen who recommends winding strings this way. It's the best way. Glad I'm not the only one who's figured that out.

Playing riffs between songs makes me crazy!! So UNPROFESSIONAL!

Dagan should have a Vlog or whatever it's called were he interviews musicians. Rather listen to this guy than Eddie Trunk. 🤘

The string stretching is big. I see so many people complain about tuning stability, especially on cheaper guitars. I've got a couple really cheap guitars and some not really cheap (500-1000$ range), and they all stay in tune perfectly, and they are all stock. This includes a starter kit strat copy for about 150$. All I did to them was a basic setup (Done myself, and I am by no means "good" at setups) and stretched the strings.

In a cover band I was in, I hated others playing the next song's riff before we start the song or playing the riff of a song we don't know. Someone will ask you to then play it and you have to tell them no or play it and look foolish. Also if you have to bring your own PA, give everyone a role to set it up, otherwise one person is doing that while one or two folks are noodling on their instruments. No one wants to hear that.

Recently upgraded my cable from a thin cable included with a £90 bass to a fender original cable (still very affordable) I upgraded to a fender bass in the time, so the difference was unreal!

The standing up tip is awesome.ive been playing for a year now.always sat down.This year I brought pedals and a pedalboard and I need to stand up to stomp em properly!. Feels so different to sitting down. I play quite a heavy guitar too.Fender Jaguar.i never really noticed the weight before I started playing standing up. Getting used to it now though. Thankyou for the tips.🤘

One tip I’ve always stuck by in the 40 years I’ve gigged that helps is,help the main band get their gear in the building,maybe not set it up as they know how they want stuff but helping them get their amps and cabs and drums etc to the stage goes a long way in building a rapport which can help leading to them wanting your band to support them again,seen bands just turn up,get their own gear in and that’s it,they keep themselves to them selves and it usually ends with them being mocked on stage

Happy New Year Dagan to you and yours. Thank you for sharing time with these vids. Insightful and entertaining. Cheers from Ottawa.

Lol Dagan was 100% calling out Polyphia when he talked about people playing math rock with the guitar really high. I love them though haha.

By far my favourite daft jordy on youtube who loves guitars

Once locked the keys in the van,took nearly an hour to get in the van to let the drummer out

Here you go...make a new " Good Habit " Fun is why we all go to hear bands play live shows. Fun is why live music is so attractive, lucretive, but most importantly, as creatures of habit, we learn how to have fun from each other, therefore smiling, grooving, and otherwise happy looking performers let their audience know that their playing, and their music is fun by expressing their own personal enjoyment while performing. Smiles are highly contagious, especially in the live music format. Having a good time is easier to do, when the band on stage is making it look fun. And, oh yeah, this kind of energy feeds off of it self, for seconds,...minutes on end. Imagine that ! By the way, if this tip has already been put forth, its a good one! Keep on playing, and play with a smile ! Ps. Thanx Dagan !

Thanks Dagan ! Great as always!

I was in a punk band many years ago. The best tip i can give is dont let your fellow band mates get hammered before the gig. This happened a few times and the results were a disaster. But then again whats more punk than that lol.

11:55 reminded me of "Joe Satriani - Crushing Day". Joe says in one of his lives that after it became a fan favorite, he realized he couldn't play it standing up. 😂 Love the video, Dagan! 🤘It was very helpful for me. Thank you!

Leave the stage in time for the next band. We headlined a gig at short warning, after the booked band dropped out. The promotor gave us from 10-11pm and gave his band 7-10. They went right up to 10 and made us wait, whilst they took down the drums. We ended up with a 35 minute set. I spoke to the promotor, a friend of ours, by ourselves. He blew up at someone else in my band.

Great tips! Can't disagree with any of that👍

I don’t know why but seeing RHCP jam in between songs is amazing

If you're the leader of the band whether it's an original or cover, don't tell the audience the title and the story behind every song. The audience is there to hear you perform, tell a story, and or announce the title loses its effect if you do it repeatedly. Remain mysterious. If you do choose to tell a story about a song pick one per set and make it count. Example: "This one comes from the heart and I wrote for my next ex. It's called "Piss Up A Rope" 1 2 3 4!

When I was younger i didnt like the idea of paying a lot for a cable. I was naïve and figured they'd all be the same, anf thought they would all break after a time. Nothing could be further from the truth. cheap cables are a nightmare - they crackle , break fairly easily and the signal is messy. Good cables are the complete opposite and last well. I still have the cables I bought over 20 years ago and they still work great! They are definitely worth the investment.

Dagen is a national treasure, and he isn’t even American.

Watching his videos gets a little expensive. He does a great job.

For the first 10 years I only down picked. If I up picked it was purely an accident. Makes it really difficult later on when you're trying to play fast. I'm a little over 20 years now and can up pick with the best of them but it still feels unnatural.

Great Info Brother,,i agree with everything you said..Love your Videos, keep it up

Great advice Dagan!!

I've done the mirror thing he's talking about 😊

I need to practice playing standing up.

One bad habit that I'm guilty of myself is over-analyzing things like the guitar setup or amp settings. Sometimes I sit down to play guitar and spend 80% of the time going through checklists rather than making music.

Cool video. Got any tips to help get out of 'box' playing? My favorite guitar player growing up was Jimmy Page and while I've learned a good amount of scales and I'm comfortable across the fretboard I always end up going back to those same pentatonic licks. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Happy new year!

I totally agree about too much new material.

That Kramer Headstock on eddies looks so much cooler than .. "the other". :-) Really a nice guitar.

Great tips! Thanks.

"Daft Jordy" Great name for a band!

12:21, Tom Morello would feel attacked for that one 😂 I mean I also don't like having the guitar far down there, I personally, sitting or standing prefer my guitar between my solar plexus and stomach area, it feels right to me. I am able to play with the guitar by my crouch but I hate it

Good video man

Dagan is a legend!

Not playing between songs is even more important when the musicians are there in a supporting role for some other activity. I go to a dance class that uses live music (which is great), but it's bloody annoying if the musicians start noodling while the teacher is talking about the next dance the class is going to do.

Fabulous player

I think I need a video on good cables to buy (patch cables, jacks...)

I'm adding Steve From Boston adding pick rakes to every riff he plays

Dage you need to say about bendings for the people who are statring for scales or

Be careful of what you eat/ drink before a gig. Belching during a song not cool, or needing a loo during Van Halen's Jump. 😁😁😁 bring a change of clothes.

The bridge pickup on that sunburst strat on the back drives me nuts

You are right for not playing only sitting down but with the height of the guitar I think it's a different thing and maybe it's different in every guitarist a good example is Tom Morello sometimes he is playing with his guitar very high but still shredding and I am too a high type I hate very low my guitar

This is priceless! 👍

Worst mistake? Buying a full JCM800 stack for home use. Dagan sold me it and even he was like WTF when I said it's for home use. Discovered attenuators soon after and added a full silver jubilee 2555 stack.

Quite a few of these aimed at professionals but 'many' of my Pet Hates in here!! People sitting down whilst playing, playing at wrong volume, not practiced, not tuned correctly........

I was told this is Dagans only fans

My worst mistake: I bought an acoustic when I KNEW I wanted an electric. I know that the electric (which is finally on its way) will be played waaaayyyy more. But now I'm attached so I can't get rid of it (also listening to Dagan's advice with this bc of a previous video). I might get into it later but who knows....on the other hand, at least I have one right????

I don't know men, I remember some of the things that "seem to be trending these days" from when I had a band in the 90's.

12:00 Amen!!!!!!

That was a good video.

What is the brand of tech he mentions at 2:07 ? Thanks a bunch in advance. (Really need some good cables hahaha)

Not playing enough is the worst thing you can do

Personally a lesson I learnt that hard way was, too much gain and not enough mids. I would go and jam as a young musician and never be able to hear myself until I was told by another guitarist about the problem. P.S this was before youtube tips and you had to learn from others in person.

Another request for Dagan merch saying "I'm just some daft jordy on youtube" also: what's a jordy and am I spelling it correctly ;D

Dodgy cables are one of the reasons I ditched all my pedals and went with a Pod Go for this. Just in time for lockdown. /sigh

I'm just here for the guitaar. ~

I've been playing for years and still have a vice grip on my guitars neck.

I would add "procrastination" to the list.

"Some Daff Jordy on KZfaq." I have to write that down and use it in a sentence three times over the next week.

Do a video doing dive bomb in kramer barreta special

Hes so fucking cool

I have my guitar strapped a tad bit high but I find my wrist hurts if I have it too low after awhile 😅

😂 I saw George Lynch at a guitar show in Dallas this weekend, and he broke a lot of those rules! He played a bunch of stuff he just wrote, then at the end played “ain’t talkin bout love” 🤣 it was awesome though!

Practice playing sitting AND standing - If only someone had drilled that into me when I was young. By the time I got to high school it was like learning to play all over again. Embarrassing considering I was one of the only competent guitarists in the year (Musicians were rare, made me look good though!). Hah.

Where did you get the striped Kramer relic?

As a guitarist I always had a bad habit of turning up my volume during gigs

Playing while standing and sitting is very true. I'm a beginner and this helped me. Thanks for the video!

As Dagan said "Do not overplay". Play the song, NOT the instrument. It's not all about YOU!

Dressing up like Russell Brand?🌵

I can't have my guitar as low as you. I have tried. I can't reach the notes at all. So yes I do need a shorter guitar strap cos I have stubby fingers LOL

DO NOT BUY A FLOYD ROSE(or any floating bridge system) FOR YOUR FIRST GUITAR!

AMP cables label names?

my bad habit, if another drummer at a gig is flashy and over playing ill over play to be "better" and i over play the song and over complicate. i blame symphonic band, fighting for 1st chair

"Don't tell jokes between songs - unless you're the singer of my band."

The worst habit I see in musicians is gate keeping. Like if someone who plays guitar wants to try and learn drums then let em go for it damnit XD